Legacy of Kain: The Human
by Baato
Summary: What if losing the Heart of Darkness removed Kain's vampiric unlife? As Kain gradually loses his powers, the Legacy of Kain continues past Defiance. - incorporates events from BO2, and ties up nearly all loose ends from the entire series. Please R&R.
1. Epilogue of Vampirism

**Chapter 1**

Epilogue of Vampirism

--

_(Please note that this is a fanfic where I take it upon myself to change one solitary plot element in the Legacy of Kain series – that is, when Kain's heart of Darkness is ripped out, he finds himself slowly losing his vampiric unlife and hence, his powers. This is my rendition of how the LOK story would have continued past Defiance had such a development occurred. Note here that this is not a tale of Kain prior to his turning at the hands of Mortanius. This is a post-defiance fanfic. To truly understand the story, this fanfic will begin at the critical moment: When Kain awakens in the demon dimension following his vampiric decomposure. This point in the story, concluding at the Elder God's small but significant defeat at the Spirit Forge Inner Chamber, is referred to as Chapter 1. All chapters that follow are post-defiance.)_

Kain (VO): "A ball of light. Flickering, dimly, amidst the dark abyss of emptiness. Though the light shined brightly outwards, no surrounding object was illuminated. No wall, no being, no creature existed in this place. Yet a strong, undeniable will to sustain this light is maintained. Grasping at every ounce of determination I possessed, I willed myself to make it so, to safeguard this place from further darkness.. I knew I had little time, for the bright light shined elegantly only for an instant, before slowly dimming, falling, further and further into darkness.. into death."

(As Kain lays unconscious within the demon dimension, his eyes shoot open with a sharp jolt of pain and urgency.)

Kain (VO): "I awoke to find myself in a shadowy realm. A disquieting stillness lay where my heart had been, the heart that had belonged to Janos Audron all along. How was it possible that I still lived?"

(Kain slowly places a hand on his chest, still reluctant to believe the events that had transpired.)

Kain (VO): "Had my heart truly been stolen?"

(As Kain's hand is placed on his chest, he is shot with a vision that sends a shiver down his spine)

Kain (VO): "A ball of light.."

(Kain perks his head as he hears dreary voices in his surroundings. He knew where he was..)

Hylden Voice: "You are still fair of form, vampire"

Hylden Voice: "That will go first."

Hylden Voice: "This realm will render you hideous. You will go mad, and you will not know it."

Hylden Voice: "Do you not think of this place every day, Vampire? Or are we truly forgotten?"

Hylden Voice: "This is the exile into which we were driven. But soon now, soon we will be free."

Hylden Voice: "We will be free."

(Demons appear before Kain.)

Kain (VO): "I knew not whether these creatures truly were the deformities of the once proud Hylden, or an entirely new existence, a new race that thrived in this uncharted, damned world. It did not matter, however. Whatever they were, I would destroy them, as I destroyed countless demons, sprawled from this very same land, during my youth as a fledgling vampire."

(Kain picks up the Blood Reaver and turns swiftly to face the two demons. He extends his one free arm towards the demon on his right, to telekinetically shackle the monster from any further movement. Kain then makes a leap towards the left-most demon, piercing the blood reaver directly into its core before the demon could make a swing at him. As the reaver begins to drain the blood of its victim, it is stopped prematurely. Kain feels an enormous collision to his right shoulder as he slides across the ridged floor. Peering out to see what had hit him, he sees the demon that, apparently, resisted the telekinetic shackle imposed by Kain earlier.)

Kain (VO): "Strange.. Are my powers nullified in this place?"

(As the two demons slowly begin to make their way towards him, Kain tries to focus his energy, making it flow into his two arms. He then clasps them together as a red ball of energy is created in between.)

Kain: "Immolate!!"

(The ball's energy is transmuted into a fire that now burns beneath the demon's feet. One drops to his knees and perishes. The other is left undamaged. Kain now stands and brandishes the reaver, but is brought back down to one knee in exhaustion.)

Kain (VO): "It appeared that my re-awakening brought with it elements not entirely to my liking. Was I weaker now, with no mechanism to course the blood through my body, or was it simply a matter of time before I regained my full strength?"

(Kain then spots a spatial distortion out of the corner of his eye. The same he had seen in Avernus Cathedral before he was blasted into it, and, into this place. With the demon approaching him and his strength not entirely adequate to fight through, Kain brings the reaver up above his head. The blade conjures the little blood it devoured from this demon earlier and shoots out a mediocre amount of energy towards it, pushing the demon back just enough for Kain to have enough clearance. He stands and wearily makes his way for the portal. Entering it, he falls through and finds himself back in Avernus Cathedral, now stale and devoid of any warring animation.)

Kain (VO): "Though I was out of the fire, the heat had not entirely dissipated. I knew that I could not linger here, that the spatial distortion was not uniquely designed for my solitary transportation. They would come again, to pursue me. Furthermore, I felt a compelling, irresistible urgency to make my way back to the Vampire Citadel. This induced coercion was twofold in its nature. I felt, that my role as balance guardian compelled me to go there, as if I was summoned by the pillars themselves. But there was a second need for compliance. Raziel. His image burned more brightly in my mind than it ever had. I knew he had something for me, and it sustained my very being. The empty void in my chest let me know of that. But what was it that my body felt was so important?"

(Kain stands straight and lets his body draw new forms. Bats sprawl from his very being and are tossed upon the winds of Nosgoth.)

Kain (VO): "As I made my way across the land which, now, would rot in a decay of decomposure and death due to the pillars' destruction, I wondered whether anything had changed since my fatal decision at the foot of the pillars. From fledgling, till now, as I came full circle, had anything really changed? My train of thought was cut short by a sharp stab of pain and loss. I felt components of my body drift apart, losing face, and ultimately drifting to their doom. This was a new sensation to me, and the bats that remained, now fewer than before, seated me at the base of the Vampire Citadel – not nearly as far as the heart of the place, where I wished to go."

(Kain reforms into his normal structure, but is exhausted and can only prop himself up with his arms, peering down at the floor and coughing up small spits of blood. He notices something as he peers down.)

Kain (VO): "As I lay there, recovering from my exhaustion, something bewildering took my eye. Little gray stands of hair now soiled the earth where I lay. Could it be? Was the demon dimension so hasty in its nature to putrefy my very form so quickly? Or was it that disquieting stillness in my chest – the lack of source which bestowed my divinity unto me? Hearts are meant to keep folk alive.. did Janos Audron's heart serve a different purpose?"

(Kain places a hand on his chest once more. As before, he is treated with a vision. The ball of light is much smaller now, dim in its pale blue luminosity.)

Kain (VO): "This time, the light was not very inviting, and urged me to continue onward, leaving behind my musings for another time. One thing was clear, however. I would decide to conserve my strength from this point forward, as it appeared that using my vampiric gifts rendered me frail and feeble. I would make my way by foot."

(After a time, Kain finally ends his trek at the heart of the citadel. His hair is now sparse, and the features of his face seem to _melt_ into a rancid appearance. His body seems to be decaying, dying. He wearily peers down from the top of the spirit forge, and sees Moebius. Kain tries to scale the wall but is too weak and tumbles downwards, hitting various objects as he makes his way down, though voluntary, yet involuntary in means. Meanwhile Moebius is speaking to what appears to be an oracle, his god.)

Moebius: "The Hylden are merely an inconvenient consequence. They will be dealt with in time. It is a small price to pay for Kain's dea—"

(Moebius suddenly hears the tumbling and turns just to see Kain land crippled in front of him.)

Moebius: "Kain?!"

(Kain grunts under his breath as he slowly comes to his knees, using the reaver to prop himself while he regains his composure. Moebius looks at Kain's hideous face and form, melting into decay.)

Moebius: "You return from the demon dimension changed, as all the others. _Unbelievable_ that the effect seized you so quickly. But how do you still live!

(Kain looks up at Moebius, slowly standing up to his feet in a limping posture.)

Kain: "Is there a crack in your omniscience after all, Moebius.."

(Moebius raises his staff in anger.)

Moebius: "Get back down, vampire!"

(The staff has no effect. Moebius' angry, confident eyes wane.)

Kain: "First your omniscience, and now your powers. You're slipping badly."

Moebius: "This is not possible…"

Kain: "The part of me that staff affected is no longer in its place. But you already knew that, didn't you? I always was considered heartless. And now, Moebius, it is time."

Moebius: "To kill me? Again? Your only solution, for every problem: Kill—"

Kain: "This is not a debate. You see, this time, you have nothing that I want."

(Kain takes a quick step forward, though weary, and impales Moebius with the Blood Reaver. As the reaver begins to drain him of his life blood, Moebius speaks.)

Moebius: "You think this will matter? I serve One who has power over life and death.."

Kain: "Then go to him."

(Kain pushes Moebius off the blade, and shoves him to the ground. Moebius speaks as he falls into a deathly slumber.)

Moebius: "I am.. his obedient, his devoted servant. Soon.. all pain will fade, and my Master will bring me life once more…"

(He dies.)

Kain (VO): "I was left in this place, alone it seemed, to discover my true ambition. Why was it that I stood here now, devoid of any inclinations, any leads upon which I might act? I knew there was something to be done here. My energy was waning, however, and I knew that I would not have much time left. The heart, it seemed, did in fact insure my survival, and I felt death approaching me quicker than it ever had amidst any battle or fatal moment before this. I hoped that I could still accomplish something before my death."

(Kain falls to his knees in exhaustion. The fast movements of his actions cause portions of his skin to drop from his body, pooling into a gray-like body of mush before evaporating into dust. He grabs his chest one more time before being treated with the same old light, flickering within him with nothing now but the dimmest luminosity. He looks around desperately to find some sort of clue, but everything in his vision is hazy and blurred. His eyes sit upon Moebius' staff as he hears the dead man making noise behind him.)

Kain (VO): "It would appear that Moebius was right, and that his so called 'god' could in fact revive him."

(With the last ounce of energy left in him, Kain is brought to his feet once more, swings around, and impales Moebius again. As Kain's legs falter, he fumbles forward, pushing Moebius to a wall where the reaver is lodged into an earthly rock. They both use it for support.)

Kain: "Do you.. so.. enjoy death?"

Moebius: "—Yesss…"

(Moebius' body begins to shift form as pieces of his decaying skin fall off and reveal Raziel underneath.)

Kain: "Raziel?! No..!"

(Kain struggles to pull the blade free of Raziel, but is too weak to unlodge it from the wall behind him.)

Raziel: "Yes… this is how…"

Kain: "No! Raziel!"

Raziel: "The Soul Reaver, pure of all corruption… this is what it is for. This is what I am for."

(Raziel places his right arm onto Kain's chest. The wraith blade, now endowed and purified with the spirits of the deceased balance guardians, is invoked. It pools into Kain's chest as if a vacuum is sucking the very life of the wraith blade. Kain's eyes open wide as he is revitalized and rejuvenated. He feels a sense of loss being returned, a part of him that he has not felt since the day he breathed life into his six lieutenants. His strength returning, he feels, finally, after these long centuries, whole again.)

Raziel: "The two become one… both Soul Reavers… together… and the Scion of Balance is healed… And I am not your enemy… not your destroyer… I am, as before, your right hand… your sword."

Kain: "No, Raziel… this can't be the way…"

Raziel: "And now you will see the true enemy…"

(Raziel begins to lose consciousness as his very soul is sucked into the blood reaver. In a flash of bright light, the last remaining essence of Raziel is entrapped within the blade, and the sword now shines with an elegant aura as the Soul Reaver, with Raziel nowhere to be seen.)

Kain: "Raziel…"

(Now purified by the Spirit Reaver, Kain turns his head.)

Kain (VO): "And it was then, I saw. A warping sensation of the spatial surroundings revealed the One that Moebius had mentioned earlier. The giant squid-like abomination that had been lurking in the shadows for centuries beyond my reign. The Elder God which all ancients and humans alike seemed to have been manipulated time and time again."

Elder God: "So. I am revealed to you at last."

Kain: "What in hell…"

Elder God: "I am the origin of life, the devourer of death. I am the hub of the Wheel, the purifying cycle to which all souls must be drawn."

Kain (VO): "Had I condemned Raziel to this nightmare when I cast him into the abyss?"

Elder God: "You may ponder the futility of your ambitions as you spend a deathless eternity beneath a mountain of rubble. You and your Soul Reaver will go equally mad as the eons pass. The Citadel of the apostates will become your living tomb."

Kain: "Your words are heartening."

(Kain strikes one of the Elder's tendrils with the Soul Reaver, cleaving it apart in a shower of green fluid. The Elder howls in pain, and bars his primary Eyestalk with several more tendrils.)

Kain: "..for you would not fear us, unless we could truly do you harm."

(Kain cuts through the tendrils as he stalks towards the Elder's Eye.)

Elder God: "No! You are nothing!"

Kain: "False God! This is the end- the final turn of your Wheel."

(As Kain makes his way closer and closer to its eye, the Elder God gathers ethereal energy and dispels it in a wave, heading towards Kain. He is hit and falls back, the rupture causing more of his vampiric flesh to be ripped from his body.)

Kain (VO): "I did not know exactly what had transpired during the pivotal moment of Raziel's sacrifice. My vampiric exterior seemed to have gained no relief from Raziel's wraith blade assimilating into my body, and although my core felt restored, the flesh which demonized my form over the centuries as a vampiric consequence was evaporating before my eyes, still. I knew that I had not the power to stop this creature, this god, with the aid of my divine powers. Armed with only the soul reaver as I was, it would have to be the Soul Reaver that committed his undoing. Strange – history seemed to have made it so that I slay this abomination with one and only one weapon. What significance did this portend?"

(A tendril is raised above Kain's head and slams downwards at him. Kain stands firmly and swings the reaver above his head, splitting the creature's arm in two. Kain makes his way back towards the eye, using the Soul Reaver to stop any other tendrils in his way, as they are feeble to the power of the Soul Reaver.)

Kain (VO): "I had neither the time nor the patience to mull over the many implications that all of this signified. I knew only to do one thing, and it would be realized at any cost. This was the moment – the final edge of the coin. The fatalistic instant that my body – no, my very existence, was drawn to. I would be the final undoing of this creature, this parasite that thrived on the destruction of the land and all its inhabitants while shrouding its motive in a veil of righteousness and benevolence."

Kain: "Your time is approaching, creature. You will find no reprieve in _my_ blade!"

(Kain lunges towards the creature's eye once again, this time arming himself with the soul reaver in such that any bolt of energy would be deflected. In doing so, he manages to recoil the blade, and shoot it back forward, straight towards the heart of the creature's optical instrument. As the reaver pierces the center point of the eye, A distinctive mucus, almost ethereal-like in nature, spills forth and comes into contact with Kain's whole right arm, drenching it in an acidic ache of pain. Kain groans. He tries to pull away but does not have the strength. The mucus, as quick as it came, now hardens like a stiff shell. Kain's arm is but a prisoner within, and as such, the blade is left inside the heart of the squid. The soul reaver's soul-sucking entity is invoked.)

Kain (VO): "The reaver seemed to have claimed the beast for its own savage hunger. As the groans of the Elder God filled the room, I could see that the two were now locked in a tug 'o war as the reaver tried to consume it. But could such a proportionately small weapon truly devour a beast such as he? Light began to emanate from the point of contact and I strained my eyes to watch. The searing pain my arm now knew made it all the more difficult, and just before my eyes gave way due to the intensity of the light, I witnessed the Elder's mucus engulfing not only my arm but the reaver as well. _Had it failed_, I thought, as my vision was replaced with bright flashing lights, following a pain that my now burning arm could never challenge. I felt myself falling to my death, and it was then that I realized.. The Elder God _did_ in fact remake Raziel into the free-willed being which now lay sacrificed within the blade. And in the event that the reaver would consume the Elder's soul, the abominable squid-like creature would not be allowed to exist far in the future, many centuries hence, when Raziel is thrown into the abyss and revived. Thus, the creature was immune to death, and history therefore chose to expel the irritant – me.

(Followed by the bright flash, Kain blacks out and is engulfed in an ethereal cone of darkness..)

Kain (VO): "..or so I had thought…"


	2. Makeshift Awakening

**Chapter 2**

Makeshift Awakening

--

Kain (VO): "I awoke to find myself in a new existence entirely."

(As Kain's eyes open, he finds himself laying atop a web of blankets, pillows and clothing. The moonlight of the bright night sky shines through a cracked window in the room, illuminating only a small portion of the wooden floor near the bed while rendering all else almost pitch black.)

Kain (VO): "I felt weak, but without pain. Peculiar, this was, as I had _many_ memories of such a scenario before – _always_ accompanied by the cruel pain of deprived hunger – the hunger for blood. This time, however, something was different. The hunger's absence, yes, and something greater still."

(Kain strains to sit up, atop the old dusty pile of fabric. He peered around vaguely, with weary eyes.)

Kain (VO): "Strange.. For whatever reason I found myself here, one thing was clear to me. Someone had brought me to this place, and had accommodated me. More than anything, I found myself disturbed by what seemed to be a non-hostile environment. Strange, that I could not recall a previous time where such was the case. I had been a foe to many and all throughout the centuries, chastised as a plague to mankind and regarded as a parasite which must be removed at all costs. Avoiding hostility was second nature to my very existence, and I refused to deem this place any different. Feeling uneasy as I did, I decided not to delay my leaving."

(Leaning forward, Kain attempts to stand up from his temporary abode of clothing and fabric. He is stopped however. His right arm seems to be lodged against something.)

Kain (VO): "In the darkness of the dreary room I could not see what had caught my arm. Little did I know that it would remain with me for days to come."

(Tugging, pulling, and straining to regain his arm, he finally manages to remove it from its previous place near the bed. However, rather than escaping from whatever holds his arm, the object remains attached and is pulled forth with great weight and size. Kain finds himself pushed down by the strange object and rolls off of his bed, hitting the wooden floor beneath. He winces on impact and darts his eyes towards the direction his arm fell. Although Kain himself is shrouded in the room's darkness, the moonlight from the window emanates silver light, now, directly where the object lay.)

Kain (VO): "In the light.. I saw."

(Kain's weary eyes begin to drop, his fatigue catching up to his body. As his eyes close, the last thing he sees is the part most well lit in the room. The Soul Reaver. Mutated in size and form, the reaver now lay entrapped within a cocoon of organic membrane tissue. The same tissue which now plagues Kain's arm, the two seem like one. Distorted and deranged with mucus oozing in and around both, the arm and sword are now mended together, and Kain's hand is frozen in suspension, inaction, always gripping the sword. He falls unconscious.

(--The next morning--)

Kain (VO): "Images of the hut I now slept in swerved in my head. The walls were no longer dark, and a bright light shined - both through the window and the many cracks plaguing this old home's wooden walls. This was different than any kind of scenery I had ever beheld. The walls were metamorphing; melting in a sense. The sun's rays were turquoise in color. Most notable of all: the spirit which hovered before me, white like snow with translucent limbs. I could not understand the language it spoke, nor the gestures it was portraying for me. My mind was hazy, as was my vision."

(A creature squeezes through the cracks of the walls of the wooden hut. It has a vicious, grotesque orifice and growls as soon as it can reside fully in the room. It lunges at the spirit, devouring it like a mad dog suffering from a week's worth of starvation and appetite. It swings its head in Kain's direction, eyes bulging with excitement and arousal.)

Kain (VO): "This creature, on the other hand, was a little more forthcoming, and I knew what it wanted from me."

(Before Kain can react, his eyes open as he awakens once more.)

Kain (VO): "I was granted the view of the hut yet again, though this time in a more common fashion. The morning rays of the sun shined as they ever had, bright with no eerie discoloration. The monster was gone as quick as it came, and I was left to look upon my surroundings, laying here, in the debris."

(Kain finds himself laying on a large pile of wooden planks and broken chairs, all apparently chaotically disassembled.)

Kain (VO): "In the morning light I could see this place perfectly, a small, broken hut whose only purpose was to act as storage to those objects too broken to be made use of. Chairs, bed frames, ripped tapestry, and the like. It was then, gazing out and around as I did, that I realized. This room might have had retained its supposed color after my awakening.. but _I_ did _not_."

(Kain brings his left hand upwards close to his eyes. He looks down at it, skin-toned as it is. At that moment, any sense of belonging evaporates from Kain's mind, and is replaced with a disgusted frown, revolting in its nature. A pale rosy hue, his eyes now embrace.)

Kain: "Human…"

(He then looks down to his right arm, too heavy to move, and watches it in disbelief.)

Kain (VO): "What happened to the Elder God, I wondered? The continuum of history was far too strong to annihilate him into the blade, I should have known that from the outset. But, careless of me as it was, _I_ was not expelled from history's flow either. Was this a stale-mate, then? It seemed evident that my being here still had some purpose – perhaps I was not able to die either, for history was in further need of me to run its course unaltered. But this..?"

(Kain's eyes remain affixed to his right arm, now engulfed in mucus and membrane tissue, holding the arm prisoner to its own actions.)

Kain (VO): "The reaver.. It would seem that the acidic discharge which fell upon my arm melded me with my blade."

(The blade is covered in the same substance his arm is, cocooned in an organic, repugnant casing.)

Kain (VO): "I wondered whether this drew its conclusion from chance, or if there was a greater need for the reaver to be entrapped this way, _his_ need. Should the blade be the only weapon which might destroy him, it would appear he effectively sealed its proper duty. I was anxious to find out whether the sword still preserved its soul-sucking ability, or if this too was nullified until the cocoon could be removed."

(A voice is heard from outside the hut; a whisper. Kain glances at the brown drapery hanging off the doorway. Standing to his feet, he makes his way outside, dragging the deformed, oversized blend of organic flesh and steel behind him, across the wooden floor. Stepping outside, Kain is greeted with a shovel being swung towards him. He shoots his left arm upwards to block his face, effectively absorbing the weapon's impact unto his wrist. To his surprise, a surge of pain afflicts his arm and Kain is left stumbling back, leaning on the exterior wall of the hut.)

Kain: "What in hell.. Who dares strike me by surprise!"

(Kain peers towards the culprit. He finds himself surrounded by gypsies, both male and female, in what appears to be a small settlement full of old wooden huts and tents. He gazes towards the attacker, eyes burning with ferocity.)

Kain: "Do you so enjoy playing death's game, mortal.."

(The armed gypsy lunges forward. Kain ducks his head just in time to avoid another blow. Sprawling back up, he shoots his right arm upwards, swinging it out in an attempt to split the man in two from groin to head. A gash is made, but the organic mesh which now engulfs the blade renders it too blunt to cut through the man. As the injured gypsy stumbles back, Kain pursues and jabs the reaver towards the man with all his might, watching as it impales him and pierces right through his back. The other gypsies gasp and step away in astonishment. Kain stands firmly, eyes gazing ever-so intently on the blade.)

Kain: "No.."

(After a long, suspended pause, the man falls to his knees and crumbles sideward onto the dirt floor.

Kain (VO): "The man lay dead beneath my feet, and I knew. The Elder God had effectively silenced the only weapon which held the potential to govern his undoing. It seemed as if I was at a loss for power, for here I was: human in nature, without _any_ significant mark of divinity, and a weapon that lay dormant inside a web of oppressive film that even my arm could not break free of. Truly, my chances seemed meek."

(The other gypsies begin to shout profanities and brandish their weapons of choice; pitchforks, shovels, hammers and other blunt objects)

Gypsy: "Whatever you are, it no longer matters! You have plagued our settlement far too long!"

(Kain turns to them swiftly.)

Kain: "Whatever _you_ might be, that _too_ matters little. Getting cleaved is the same for both human _and_ animal."

(A fight breaks out. Though Kain's vampiric skills and abilities are now non-existant, he maintains his morale against the mob due to his unique weapon. As he fights:)

Kain (VO): "I felt my strength usurping theirs with every blow we exchanged. Something was different than what I had imagined. Though my humanity was returned to me, against my will, and infuriatingly drained me of my divine powers, I found myself taking solace in something far, far more vile. The gift imparted to me by the elder one, after our robust meeting, proved to be an essential instrument of my survival. Had I not with-held this contamination to my arm, and had the Soul Reaver truly been lost to me during my unconscious state, my naked humanity would have proven to be my downfall, for how was a mere human to stand against a mob of ten, who unite their assault with a common goal of hatred, detestation and loathing? "

(Kain continues to fight the mob, blocking two or three blows at a time with the oversized reaver. Blood spills across the dirty soil as the battle rages on.)

Kain (VO): "I was now acquainted with the ironic situation that I had found myself in at that moment. For it was _not_ the Elder God's triumph which had transpired on that fatal occasion, but both of ours. As he dispossessed the reaver of its soul-sucking ability, in doing so he made me more invincible than any human known to exist. The divinity in my right arm was not vampiric in nature, and actually quite fetid to behold. But it aided me in guarding my life from harm's way. This was the stale-mate that history accorded to both of us. In this way, _both_ our roles in history would be made possible – mine, however, would yet be discovered."

(As Kain gains the upper hand in battle, the skirmish becomes a chaotic flurry of confusion and disarray. A young girl's voice is heard, and Kain's train of thought is disrupted.)

Kain (VO): "Blood – spilt blood – of the savior herself. In my arrogance I did not see who I injured so thoughtlessly; a mere passerby – and the very one who had brought me here, I would soon discover."

(The young female gypsy, barely reaching adulthood and clad in colorful robes and golden trinkets, falls to her knees. She holds her stomach. Blood trickles down to her inner thighs as he winces in pain, tears forming atop her cheeks. Everyone stops fighting immediately, and one of the gypsies screams, kneeling down at her side.)

Gypsy: "Mirela!! My god!"

(The gypsy glares at Kain.)

Gypsy: "You demon! How could you?!"

Kain: "I give _no_ quarter, young or old! You shall _all_ feast on my blade!"

Gypsy: "She is the one that spared your life; took you in! You were left for dead with no one to care for you but the demons themselves!!"

Kain (VO): "I stood there, trying to put the pieces together. What had happened to me after my encounter with that cavernous abomination? Still filled with rage from the present skirmish, I was in no state of mind to tinker with this puzzle. I wanted blood – moreso to spill upon my _sword_ than to drink."

(Kain takes a step forward, his eyes widening with ferocity. He stops abruptly.)

Kain (VO): "..Yet something lingered in my very being.. A vocation to give this girl the mercy she gave me. I was appalled at what I was considering. At once I brandished the reaver and charged forth."

(Kain slaughters the remaining gypsies that stand guard over the young girl, crouching beneath Kain's feet. Kain looks down at her, ready to end her suffering.)

Kain (VO): "At the critical moment, I could not do it. For whatever reason it was, I allowed her to live - for that day, at least. Was it gratefulness for taking me in, or a strong sense of history's pull – an inescapable means towards her end; her destiny? I pondered this for a moment before tossing my indecision in favor of the latter option – after all, who was _I_ to show _any_ sense of gratitude? And in such a case where a human is required to live in order to fulfill history 's agenda, I would _not_ be there to deny it its plan."

(Stepping away from the girl, Kain throws the sword up over his head and leans it downwards on his right shoulder, knowing very well that he cannot sheath it, nor throw it away. He turns and begins to walk away from the girl.)

Kain: "History has allowed you to live further, young one. Don't toss its gift away."

(The girl, clutching her blood-filled stomach, manages to extend an arm in Kain's direction, almost as if she frantically wants to grab hold and bring him back.)

Mirela: "W-….wai..t.."

(The girl falls comatose and lays on the blood stained ground silent. Kain is gone.)


	3. Thrown Off Balance

**Chapter 3**

Thrown Off Balance

--

Kain (VO): "As mysterious as the rest of my destiny was, I knew what needed to be done by the Elder God himself. His role in all of this would be to raise and council Raziel as he had always done. For this reason, I resolved _not_ to meet him until the noteworthy occasion when Raziel strayed from the wasteland of Nosgoth and was brought into the past, fifty years from now, to uncover his true destiny."

(Kain walks along a grassy plain with forestry surrounding him on both sides.)

Kain (VO): "Having been thrown into the exact moment in time where Avernus Cathedral burned to the ground, the elder thought I would be slain by my good son Raziel upon our meeting. I still did not understand why I lived without my heart sustaining me. No, it was never my heart to begin with. Having been revived by the necromancer Mortanius during my initial death, centuries ago, and having been infused by the power of Janos Audron, the greatest vampire to have ever existed.. perhaps it was not the heart that sustained me but some form of Mortanius' magic placed unto me at the time. Nevertheless, I knew that with the Pillars recently destroyed by my younger self, I would need to leap millennia into the future to finally put an end to my new abominable adversary.. the puppet master himself."

(Kain now walks near a lake, continuing to pace himself in his travels.)

Kain (VO): "In order to leap across such vast vantages in time, I would need to locate Moebius' chronoplast, the sole instrument I have used time and time again to follow Raziel through his tragic journey. But in order to do so, I would first need to find my bearings, for I had not the smallest clue where I was."

(Kain kneels down near the lake, looking upon his reflection. He sees, for the first time, his human face. His hair is only millimeters long, leaving him almost completely bald.)

Kain (VO): "The gray hair that stayed with me for centuries had dissipated into nothingness, and I could see the new strands of hair, black as they had always been during my human youth, sprouting anew on my scalp. It would be months before I looked presentable in any fashion. More than my new appearance now, I found myself even more surprised by just how much importance this held for me. I prided myself as a human, taking care of my physical appearance as best I could. After my turning, my growing vampiric intellect made me disregard such pathetic mortal values. Humans _are_ full of foolishness and dung, I had always thought. And it would seem that these negative attributes had poisoned my mind once more, for I felt a discomfited hope that my hair would grow out soon, once again as it was before; long, flowing, jet black in its graciousness."

(He stands up from his crouching point near the lake and examines his body.)

Kain (VO): "My entire vampiric flesh had been erased, and with no other mark of divinity now, I had only my arm to look upon for power. The disgust for my reliance on such an item, crafted by the most vile enemy yet, was enough to put a needle down my throat. I would learn to disregard this unfortunate turn of events, if I hoped to function properly on any degree."

(Kain continues to wander, alongside the lake, until he reaches a high vantage point, a cliff, where he may look upon the land of Nosgoth that is relatively near.)

Kain (VO): "And here, standing on a cliff just north of the Great Southern Lake, I found my bearings after all. My eyes lay affixed to the Pillars to the west, out in the distance, laying crumbled atop the alter on which they once stood proud. My younger self needed no aid in committing this act single-handedly. And although our reasons now may differ extraordinarily, we both knew this was the right choice to make. Damn Nosgoth and live as a tyrant among the land, or save the land from its _true_ enemy, and restore balance to its nature.. It mattered little what the reason had been during the time of the Pillars' annihilation.. What mattered was that I had newfound knowledge which my younger self did not. And I knew we were on the right track."

(Kain's eyes twitch momentarily as he spots something just a few meters away from the Pillars. Some form of dimensional rift seems to be ripping the very fabric of space. Kain slides down the cliff to investigate. As he comes near, a flash of light instantly brings forth a mid-sized demon, red in color and carrying flaming claws on both arms. It shrieks in Kain's direction. Kain takes a step back and brings the contaminated reaver in front of him, clutching it with his left hand as well to keep the oversized weapon more balanced.)

Kain: "So, the pillars have just recently collapsed and demons are springing into this world already. You monsters just hate to wait."

(The demon lunges towards Kain and slams one of its long claws downwards at his head. Kain brings the reaver up above to meet it. They clash, and flaming sparks fly outward. The weight of the attack brings Kain down to one knee. He winces. Stunned, Kain leaves himself open for the other claw to attack. It plunges towards him and makes a huge burning gash on his chest. Kain grunts and, without a moment to lose on complaining, musters all of his strength to fight the demon's claw back. The mucus engulfing his right arm churns as Kain is aided by super strength, the reaver slashing the left claw completely off and pushing the demon back. Blood spills from its limb as it shrieks, both of them regaining their posture. Kain clutches his bleeding chest with his left, free arm.)

Kain: "Damn.. I miss yesterday already. I feel in worse shape than I ever had."

(Just then, the demon's eyes turn from a reddish hue to a bright green glow. The demon then proceeds to speak.)

Demon: "Kain…"

(Kain drops his guard for a moment, his head jerking up in alertness.)

Kain (VO): "I knew what this was.. Although the hylden could not directly enter this world at the present moment, they were adept at effectively possessing bodies residing within this realm."

Kain: "If it isn't the ancient vampires' most wretched enemies, the Hylden. What brings your loathsome presence to this even less repugnant demon? Have you come to declare its death at my hand?"

Hylden Demon: "Noo… We have come to claim yours, Kain. But not by this pathetic beast.. By our hand, and ours alone."

Kain: "Hah! As if you have the courage to stand against me single-handedly, unaided by possessed bodies of humans, demons, and pigs alike!"

Hylden Demon: "You will see, lowly human.. One day soon we shall claim our way back into this place.. And when we do.. You will be annihilated!!"

(The demon hurdles towards Kain with its one arm, claw protruding to swipe him from under his feet. Kain, being slower now than in his vampire days, miscalculates his ability to avoid it and is left flung off his feet, plunging his head down towards the ground. He smashes it on rocky dirt and is left faint-headed. He springs to his knees in a crouch, holding his left temple. The demon swings its claw at him and Kain's face is left a fraction of his former beauty, as three slices are carved into his cheeks and nose. Blood spews out as Kain flies backwards, head first, and slides along the dirt in a painful agony. As his eyes begin to close, he sees the demon stepping over him, ready to administer the final attack.)

Hylden Demon: "It appears I was incorrect. To my surprise, it looks like I won't be seeing you with my own two eyes."

(Kain slips into an unconscious state.)

Kain (VO): "As I fell to the demon's assault, I was granted with the vision of a strange new world, as before, turquoise in complexion. Spirits seemed to hover past in the distance. Dreary voices of the deceased called out in tongues that seemed long forgotten. As an intensity grew in my body, I found myself drawn back into the world in which I lived, surprisingly, still."

(Kain awakens and sits up, looking around.)

Kain (VO): "Though I remained at the foot of the pillars, the demon was gone. Stranger than this, I noticed a feeling of displacement, the same which had befallen both Raziel and me when we decided to change and twist fate."

(Kain stands up from his spot on the ground. He cautiously walks in the direction he feels this displacement originates. He walks toward the crumbled pillars.)

Kain (VO): "As I stepped unto the alter and made my way closer to Nosgoth's apparition of doom – the Pillars – I felt the temporal distortion dissipate. Slowly but surely, it was gone, and I was left to ponder the reasoning behind this."

(Kain places a hand on his chest. It remains completely healed, as does his face and any other parts of his body that were injured in the fight.)

Kain (VO): "With all of my wounds immediately healed, I knew there was more to my revival than my past knowledge had allowed me to know. I had much more to discover about my true destiny before I would confront my most hated enemy, the elder one – and thanks to that hylden's reminder, I knew where such information would be sourced. For I knew that Janos Audron still lived in this time.. It would be four centuries before his demise into the demon dimension took place. Although he was now seemingly possessed by the greatest hylden to exist, the Hylden Lord, it might yet be early enough to retain his humanity – at least momentarily – to gain some knowledge."

(Kain steps off the foot of the pillars and begins to tred southward.)

Kain (VO): "The Hylden City. The centre-point of the hylden's resurgence into this world. I only hoped that Janos was there this early in the game. But if Janos had important information to dispense for me, information that might make any difference in defeating the Elder God, I would wait decades to find him there."

(As Kain departs from the clearing, a lone woman is seen standing in the shadows, covered by thick layers of trees and bushes. She acknowledges his presence here, and disappears into the forest, unbeknownst to Kain.)

--

(Kain makes his way south, around the Southern Lake and past the area that would later be called Providence.

Kain (VO): "Though the land of Nosgoth was now scarred with the mark of demonism, my road here was uneventful. It appeared that demons spawning throughout the land, although popular, was still a rarity in this time. It made sense. As the Pillars were only destroyed recently, the rift between this world and the demon dimension was yet small. At least in this regard, the roads were mildly safe to traverse on foot, of which I had no other means. In my humanly form, I would do myself no good to stray too far into the future – I was now just as vulnerable to these demons as the next human."

(Kain stops his trek as he enters the vicinity of Meridian. He peers around.)

Kain (VO): "How ironic. In my youth, this city would intrigue me with its size, enthralling my presence in a vast array of labyrinthian mazes of which I would have trouble escaping. Centuries later, now, I stood here as the mere settlement began its construction. Not a single brick-wall stood, and no Sarafan order was to be seen. Glyph magic was yet to be discovered. I knew where it would be invented."

(Kain peers out towards the Great Southern Sea. He slowly makes his way to the harbor front.)

Kain (VO): "If the Hylden Lord would be as efficient and effective as I expected him to be, Janos would already be there, on that island south of here, building the gate from which the hylden could spawn."

Kain: "Human!"

(Kain calls out to one of the construction workers, building the half-finished harbor. The old grump looks up from his work.)

Worker: "Aye?"

Kain: "I require a ship to take me southward. Know you of how I might acquire one?"

Worker: "South? Bah, idiot! The only thing on this sea 'ere is a hunk o' land down yonder. Nuthin' there but ol' trees and boars roamin' the fields. B'sides, the only ships 'round here are the three you see out on the dock, an' they're all owned by Cap'n Thomas. Ye've better luck locating a demon than grabbin' one of 'em 'ere ships."

Kain: "Your words inspire me. You have my thanks."

(With that, Kain goes on to walking onto the wooden dock where the ships are roped. He is stopped by a woman's voice.)

Woman: "Vile demon! Turn and face us!!"

(Kain turns. He sees a female knight, clad in white and red armor. She is guarded by several well-equipped troops. Kain peers at her uniform.)

Kain (VO): "This insignia I knew entirely too well. The crest of Willendorf."

(Kain steps off the deck and closer to the group of angered warriors.)

Kain: "Though you might find me repugnant to look at, whatwith my diseased arm and all, calling me a demon is quite a stretch, think you not?"

Woman: "Your days are numbered, monster.. and today you meet your final breath of life! By my name, Matilda of Willendorf, you shall finally be slain!!"

Kain: "Matilda.. Now where have I heard that name before?"

Kain (VO): "Then it seized me. Matilda – the daughter of King Ottmar of Willendorf. The one who had her soul stolen by Elzevir the puppetmaster."

(Kain's eyes widen slightly.)

Kain (VO): "It was then that I came upon a realization. Cross-referencing dual histories, centuries ago, I let my mind slip to the awareness that Ottmar's daughter was _never_ held captive in this time. As Elzevir was a follower of The Nemesis, and my younger self destroyed William insofar as to never bring the Nemesis into existence, Elzevir too escaped his destiny. There was never any ploy to imprison the girl's soul, and Matilda remained unhindered across the years."

Kain: "Ahh, so we finally meet. Strange, I remember you younger than how you appear before me now. Perhaps Elzevir's absence circumvented your complexion's ploy to remain a young, beautiful girl forever?"

Kain (VO): "I could tell she was dumb-founded."

Matilda: "Enough rabble, demon! You will die by my blade by the day's end! Troops! Surround him!"

(Kain stretches his arm before bringing the reaver before him in defense.)

Kain: "I do not know what game you are playing, witch.. Why you condemn me to death is beyond me, but if you are so inclined to press charges without trial, you will find no less favor from me!!"

(The battle ensues as various soldiers proceed to attack Kain at once.)

Kain (VO): "As troublesome as it was, I would have to get used to a new form of fighting, a much more passive-defensive tactic than an elitist one."

(Kain dodges three simultaneous blows towards him via a roll and sprouts back out as soon as he is out of the way. Seeing a vulnerable spot on one of the troops, he swings the reaver directly at his hamstring, cutting into it and completely shattering the bone of the knee. The soldier falls, grunting in pain. The two others turn and swing their sword and hammer, respectively, at Kain's chest. He uses the over-weighted reaver to deflect both, sending Kain a few steps back before he can gain his composure. Meanwhile another soldier throws a mace at Kain's back, hitting him in the upper spine and sending him onto both knees.)

Soldier: "I got him!"

(Kain angrily strains his legs to get back up and plunges the reaver right through the blissful combatant's chest. As the other fighters behind him rush to meet him, Kain quickly pulls the reaver out of the initial victim and swings the large weapon horizontally to split the men in half. Cutting through one, the reaver comes to a stop inside the first warrior, now slowly falling to his death having almost been cut in half. The second soldier swings his hammer and knocks Kain down.)

Kain (VO): "It only took a few exchanging swings, but I knew then that I was not capable of overcoming a full battalion, not in this form. I would need to escape this scenario, fast, or die in my ignorance."

(Kain scrambles to his feet and jumps back before the next Hammer can fall down on him. He rushes forward, seemingly toward the armored men. Just before making contact, Kain side-dashes to avoid the men and continues his sprint towards Matilda herself. She brandishes her long, slender blade. At the critical moment, Matilda swings her blade down to meet Kain's. He, on the other hand, stops his trek early and juts the reaver into the ground, blowing dirt up into the air and into her eyes. She winces, stuttering back.)

Matilda: "Cheap trick! You coward…!"

(Kain lifts the reaver above his head and slams it down towards her, but with the flat side. He hits her and sends her down staggering to her knees, additionally getting sticky mucus in her hair for added effect. Smirking, Kain runs behind her and grabs her by the neck with his one free arm, the other holding the reaver out to anyone who would like to meet him.)

Kain: "Move an inch and your pathetic princess meets a doom more terrible than death. The strange slime on my arm and blade would surely make a good lubricant for whatever hole it might want to enter. Let's just say I won't have to create a new one on this girl's body, should I be inclined to mortally impale her."

(With that, the soldiers were frozen solid. Matilda, still trying to regain poise, does little to hamper Kain's plan. He shifts cautiously to one of the ships, the smallest of the three. A sailor is already aboard, swabbing the deck for his captain. Kain yelps to him.)

Kain: "Captain! You will commandeer this ship if you wish to leave it alive!"

(The sailor looks to Kain in frustrated fear.)

Sailor: "B-b-but Cap'n Thomas would make me walk the plank!"

Kain: "You'll be walking into my blade if you don't do what I say, and your kingdom's princess will walk sooner if I don't find myself at my desired destination! Now set sail, I demand it!"

(With that the ship begins to move in no time at all. The soldiers run to the shoreline and helplessly watch as their princess is taken away. Once his new ship is a good distance away, Kain's stomach is met by the elbow of the ever-so spirited princess. Clutching himself, he watches as she hurdles off the ship's deck and plummets into the water. The lone sailor just stares in astonishment as he continues to steer the ship. Some soldiers hop into the water, swimming frantically to help the poor princess from drowning. Kain snickers as he watches the shoreline grow smaller by the minute, the warriors of Willendorf regrouping at the harbor.)

Kain (VO): "With that, I was well on my way to information. Should I find Janos there or not, I would have to hurry in order not to meet my pursuers midway. I would find him, I hoped. Only he could tell me my next move.

--

(Back at the harbor, Matilda is squeezing any loose clothing she has of excess water. Frustrated and infuriated, the troops are reluctant to approach her. One does in any case.)

Soldier: "Your Majesty… should we not pursue him? He has nowhere to run, Highness.. We can surely meet him on the far island!"

Matilda: "Exactly, Elfred. He has nowhere to run – and in time, will have to return here, to this place. We now know what we are up against. Send for reinforcements. We will meet him when he arrives back. This time, he will not be underestimated."

(Matilda makes her way to the shoreline, looking at the ship which is now but a spec on the horizon. Her eyebrows furrow, wrinkles dominating the upper hemisphere of her face. Hatred burns within her.)

Matilda: "Kain..after all these years.. This is the last time you've eluded me."


End file.
